Suppressive fire
In military science, s'uppressive fire' is a fire that degrades the performance of a target below the level needed to fulfill its mission. Suppression is usually only effective for the duration of the fire. Suppressive fire is not always a direct form of fire towards targets; it can be an effective visual and audible distraction. It is one of three types of fire support, which is defined by NATO as "the application of fire, coordinated with the manoeuvre of forces, to destroy, neutralize, or suppress the enemy." Before NATO defined the term, the British and Commonwealth armies generally used "neutralisation" with the same definition as suppression. NATO now defines the neutralization as "fire delivered to render a target temporarily ineffective or unusable". __FORCETOC__ Usage The purpose of suppression is to stop or prevent a target from observing, shooting, or moving. This is useful for tactical reasons, as a suppressed target will be unable to return fire upon vulnerable forces that are moving without cover. This enables forces to advance to new positions that offer more tactical advantages (e.g., a high point). For example, a US Marines article notes that "communication and suppressive fire are what enables movement on the battlefield, giving Marines the upper hand. Suppressive fire may be used to enable a helicopter or boat to land or extract soldiers from a battle zone (the latter is called a "hot extraction"). The primary intended effect of suppressive fire is psychological. Rather than directly trying to kill enemy soldiers, it makes the enemy soldiers feel unable to safely perform any actions other than seeking cover. However, depending on factors including the type of ammunition and the target's protection, suppressive fire may cause casulaties and/or damage to enemy equipment. Heavy and continuous fire keeps an opponent suppressed and therefore limits the overall firepower of the enemy unit. If an enemy platoon has 30 soldiers, but only 15 are shooting back as the other 15 are lying flat because of suppressing fire, then that unit's firepower has been reduced by half. Suppressive fire also makes it harder for the enemy to be able to assess the situation clearly. Suppressive fire is typically used as covering fire against targets in the close combat zone. However, suppressive fire delivered by artillery and other indirect fire means can be used to suppress targets of any type. NATO also defines 'suppression of enemy air defense' (SEAD), which has a broader definition and includes materiel damage. History Suppressive fire became possible with the advent of firearms or projectile weapons capabe of rapid fire (particularly automatic weapons). However, its significance did not fully emerge until tactics evolved to combine firepower and maneuver between forces prepared to use cover, rather than standing in the open. WWI marked a step change because of the development of indirect fire techniques and the protection provided by trenches. By late 1915, the British Expeditionary Force realized effects of artillery fire could not smash an opening in German trench lines. They therefore developed artillery techniques to suppress the enemy in trenches to allow their infantry to approach them. Thereafter suppression became the defining British artillery tactic, a barrage could suppress a line of front several miles wide. Infantry tactics also evolved and suppression became a key element in 'winning the fire fight'. However, suppression by infantry direct fire weapons is generally only tactically useful against targets that do not have mutual support from adjacent position and ammunition stocks may only be available for several minutes of firing. In World War II amphibious assaults, "naval warships would open fire with their main armaments at known or suspected enemy artillery, mortar, or machine gun position, on or behind the landing beaches", "to suppress enemy fire from these positions which could be directed against the landing troops. Weapons used Suppressive fire requires sufficient intensity over the target area, intensity being the suppressive effect per unit of target area per unit of suppression time. Weapons vary widely in their suppressive capabilities, which are the threat signaled by the noise of projectiles in flight and their impacts. Suppressive fire can be delivered by any weapon or group of weapons capable of delivering the required intensity for the required period of suppression. However, their suppressive fire capabilities vary widely because so does their suppressive effect area. Machine guns: infantry use While a machine gun bullet may only have a suppressive effect within about 1 meter of its trajectory, because of the high rate of fire of a machine gun, machine guns are used for suppressive fire. In the United States Army, in the four person fireteam (the smallest group of soldiers), an automatic rifleman provides suppressive fire with an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Suppressive fire can also be delivered using other weapons such as assault rifles, but the volume and intensity of fire generated is less than that of a machine gun, as the rifles overheat more rapidly and require reloading more often. Machine guns: airborne use Suppressive fire with machine guns can also be provided by slow-moving close air support planes, such as the AC-130. The AC-130 is a heavily-armed aircraft with side-firing Gatling guns fixed facing down and aft along the left side. The AC-130 can spend long period flying over their target areas, in order to protect troops and bases. Helicopters armed with side-firing machine guns use the weapons for suppressive fire when the helicopter needs to land in an area which contains enemy troops. Artillery A creeping (or walking) barrage is artillery cover fire wherein shells are landed ahead of, and then kept in pace with advancing infantry or armor. This can be done in reverse protecting the rear of withdrawing forces. Category:NATO